North Country Ski Club Uses 'Toll' To Raise Money

Nansen Ski Club volunteers at last year's "road toll." In 2017, the club collected about $800 in donations.

Credit Peter Higbee / Nansen Ski Club

People driving through downtown Berlin, New Hampshire on Friday might hit an unusual "toll,” and a reminder that winter is coming.

Along Route 16, near Veteran's Memorial Park, Nansen Ski Club volunteers will stand on one side of the road behind traffic barricades, banner unfurled, and buckets open for some change or a dollar.

"It's kind of a joke to call it a toll. Because it's not,” said Peter Higbee, who’s on the board of the Nansen Ski Club. “You can simply stay in the travel lane. You can wave, and we'll wave back to you and smile at you."

The Nansen Ski Club is the oldest running ski club in the country, and these “tolls” are one of the main ways the club raises money. In the past two years, they’ve collected about $1,600.

This year, there are about $3,000 in fuel expenses and liability insurance that the club will have to pay next month.

Higbee said that he’s hopeful more people will join as members. Last year, the club had 225, with individuals paying $40 and families, $70.